Hello, my friend and I will soon be be staying in an apartment near La Place Republique, and I was considering adding a stroll along Canal St. Martin to our itinerary. Is there a central area that is the most interesting or scenic? How long will it take us to walk there from Republique, and how far along should we walk? I'd love to hear from anyone about their favorite shops, cafes, or haunts there. Thank you!

Have you checked out this thread?
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-in-paris.cfm

I recommend going from République to the Parc de la Villette. There are plenty of nice cafés along the way. In terms of shops, there is an excellent "dépôt-vente" along the Bassin de la Villette, not too far from rue Riquet.

Once you reach the Parc de la Villette, you can take the metro back to République from Porte de Pantin. There are also some buses.

Ditto kerouac's suggestion (he also lives rather near the canal) - i have walked from La Villette to Stalingrad along the canal - not more than a mile and a half or less i'd say - neat walk along the canal tow paths mainly - and yes a reinvigorated part of Paris - once scarred by industrial detritus but now all yuppied up - really neat - you may even seen canal barges plying the canal. And of course La Villette is a famous park - a new park part of Mitterand's Grandes Projects thing i believe - with in it several neat edifices, including a Les Halles type market shed, the Cite des Sciences and the City of Music, etc.

Thanks for the wonderful thread, Kerouac. We won't have time for a boat tour, but it was great to take the barge ride via your photos.
By the way, I speak some French but am unfamiliar with the term "depot-vente." Can you tell me what that is?

It's a consignment shop -- this one is mostly for articles of furniture, and some of it is so great and so cheap that it will probably having you wondering about shipping rates.

Canal Saint Martin is great - having a little picnic along the canal is also a nice idea. Here are my favorite shops and cafes/bars along the Canal:
- Antoine et Lili (95 Quai Valmy) has quirky and fun household objects and clothing for women and children has a http://www.antoineetlili.com/
- Chez Prune (36, Rue Beaurepaire - Quai Valmy) is a lively cafe, full of locals and the prices are quite good.
- Le verre volé (67 rue de Lancry) is a cool little wine bar and shop
- Pink Flamingo Pizza (67, Rue Bichat www.pinkflamingopizza.com) - a funky new pizzeria delivers along the canal if you opt for an evening visit
enjoy your stroll!